Exodus 11

Read Exodus 11.

Exodus 11 records a turning point in the confrontation between the LORD and Pharaoh. The LORD announced to Moses that one final plague would come upon Egypt — a plague so severe that Pharaoh would not merely let the Israelites go but would drive them out entirely. The LORD instructed Moses that, before leaving, the Israelites should ask their Egyptian neighbors for articles of silver and gold. The LORD had caused the Egyptians to look favorably upon the Israelites, and Moses himself was held in high regard throughout Egypt, both by Pharaoh's officials and by the people.

Moses then delivered God's message to Pharaoh, warning him of what was to come. At midnight, God would pass through Egypt, and every firstborn son in the land would die — from the firstborn of Pharaoh himself all the way down to the firstborn of the lowliest slave girl, as well as the firstborn of all the livestock. Moses declared that there would be a great cry of mourning throughout all of Egypt, the likes of which had never been heard before and would never be heard again.

Moses drew a sharp contrast between the fate of the Egyptians and that of the Israelites. Among the Israelites, not even a dog would bark. This distinction, Moses said, would make clear to everyone that God had set Israel apart from Egypt.

Exodus 11 closes by noting that Moses left Pharaoh's presence in great anger and that God had hardened Pharaoh's heart so that he refused to listen, just as God had said would happen.